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The Taliban made a lightening advance to dethrone the country's Western-backed government on August 15, bringing an end to a two-decade campaign in which the U.S. and its allies had tried to transform Afghanistan. Who could have predicted or even imagined that after 20 years of war in Afghanistan, the Taliban would be more entrenched than ever in the country and gain international legitimacy, which was denied to the group when the U.S. decided to topple its regime for its refusal to hand over bin Laden? China has always respected Afghanistan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, adhering to noninterference in Afghanistan's internal affairs and pursuing a friendly policy toward the entire Afghan people. [Extracted from the article]